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I am writing to update you on our schedule for the 2012 Executive and Schedule C System (ESCS) activities relating to the Presidential election, and to request that you identify your agencies’ points of contact (POC) responsible for coordinating these activities with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

OPM has primary responsibility for gathering and delivering data on over 7,000 Federal civil service leadership and support positions in the legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government that may be filled by noncompetitive appointment. In partnership with agencies, OPM assembles this information every four years just prior to a Presidential election and publishes it in what is commonly known as the “Plum Book.” OPM also has a legal responsibility to provide information on all Presidential appointments to the major Presidential candidates soon after their nomination.

OPM is completing the development of a new ESCS database and, during the first week in July 2012, OPM will be migrating data from the old ESCS database to the new database, with a June 30, 2012, cutoff date for any updates and corrections that will be captured for the preparation of the Plum Book in advance of the Presidential election this year. OPM is transitioning to a new ESCS database because the new system will provide greatly-improved flexibilities and solutions for OPM and Federal agencies in the entering, maintenance, and tracking of executive data, including for the preparation of the Plum Book this year.Attached to this memorandum are the following: (1) a high-level Plum Book timeline with key activities and milestones; (2) a form for agencies to designate their POCs; and (3) a form to provide information on Presidential appointments.

On the timeline, please note the following key milestones:

Each agency is asked to designate a POC by June 11, 2012, enabling OPM to establish user accounts so your POCs have access to the new ESCS Plum Book module. OPM staff will work closely with your POCs on updates and corrections to the ESCS data.

OPM will be providing training sessions to your POCs from June 26, 2012, through July 6, 2012.

On approximately July 11, 2012, OPM will grant each agency access to the new ESCS Plum Book module to review and approve each agency’s information by August 31, 2012, before OPM includes this information in the Plum Book and the list of Presidential appointments prepared by OPM.

In order to produce the list of Presidential appointments as directed by law, OPM will also need some additional information (i.e., a short description of the duties of each Presidentially-appointed position and the date after the election by which the position needs to be filled to ensure effective operations). OPM will provide specific instructions on this task and on all other related matters, including training on the new ESCS module, to your POCs via our ESCS listserv.

Thank you so much for your attention and support on these very important upcoming quadrennial activities. If you have any questions or require specific service, please contact Steve Shih, Deputy Associate Director, Executive Resources and Employee Development, on high-level matters and the Senior Executive Resources Services (SERS) staff on technical or support matters, by telephone at 202-606-2544 or by e-mail at SERS@opm.gov.